Spring Lake Engagement Session | Hannah Barlow Photography | Pittsburgh Wedding Photography

Ooo mylanta!  You all just need to sit back and relax because you’re going to want to devote all your attention to this one!  As soon as I met these two, I KNEW (I just knew) these photos were going to be fabulous and the blog was going to have A LOT of content!  So, here we go!  Everyone, please say “Hello” to Susan and Chad!  They’re the most recent couple to be in front of my camera and you really don’t want to miss this!

Enjoy!

These two are beautiful inside and out!  I first chatted with Susan over the phone before she officially decided to hire me to be their wedding photographer!  She’s so sweet and at first her phone presence came off to me as somewhat “quiet” but don’t let that fool you!!  She’s tiny but mighty…in the literal sense!  These two are both weight lifters and cross fitters!  I guarantee she could lift me right up in the air over her head and not sweat it!  For real! She DID lift Chad up…but more on that later, of course! 😉  I creep on her Instagram account frequently and I’m always in awe! *and now everyone heads over to IG to try and see for themselves* LOL!

So, it’s always fun to meet new people!  Susan and I had been “chatting” back and forth via email and IG when relevant things would come up here and there!  Of course, it was so exciting to finally meet her in person for the first time.  I had also anticipated this session for a LONG time!! Honestly, I had also anticipated it being over 40 degrees but at this point, I’m just hoping it doesn’t snow for my May weddings!  Anyway, Susan got out of the car and we immediately hugged.  Then, Chad got out of the car and I introduced myself, shook his hand, and he grabbed me for a big bear hug, as well!! I immediately thought, “Yep.  These are my kind of people!”!  So, off we went!  And it was amazing!

I told you!  For me, this is the year of chasing light.  I’m making the light work for me this year!  Even though this flair was overwhelming, I loved these moments so much I kept them!  You’ll see why!  The overall color scheme going on here is just fabulous!

Then, of course, I told Chad to make her laugh!  He did!  Perfection!

We then swung around so the light was directly hitting them for some good ole walking and snuggling!

I had a done a version of this sun-flare/pose with another couple and Susan had mentioned how much she loved it!  The sun didn’t want to cooperate with me so I flipped my camera vertical and made it work for me!  I told ya!  It’s happening this year!  Even if I have to bust out a flash…I’m making that light work for me!  Also, can we talk about her amazing ring!?  That ring is everything “Susan,” in my opinion!  A dainty, beautiful band of diamonds surrounding a strong, BIG diamond!  Well done, Chad!

Ugh.  Their outfit choices were perfection too!!  Also, did I mention these two met via a hashtag?!  That’s right!  Craziness!!  My couples are all using social media to their advantage in the relationship department!  Chad is originally from North Carolina.  I BELIEVE he found Susan through a hashtag! Maybe it was the other way around!! Some of the details are fuzzy since Susan and I had this conversation way back last fall!  Nonetheless, Chad is now a resident of Pittsburgh and I get to keep up with all their weight lifting  and date shenanigans via IG!  It’s actually quite intriguing and comical.  Some of Susan’s facial expressions remind me so much of my own!  I’m sure glad I got back into working out before I met these two…otherwise I would have felt quite inferior! HA!

Seriously, color is AMAZING!  Black and white is AMAZING!  How do you choose?!  I couldn’t!  So, I gave them both!

So, then there was some of the usual dancing.  These two just jive.  They’re natural.  They’re super easy to photograph!  There was very little posing…just some coaching!  Their wedding photographs are going to be outstanding!  Now, Susan just needs to find her dress 😉 …I had to throw that in there! HA!  I mean…it’s less than 6 months away!  It’s giving me hives!

We did a modified dip and had a really good laugh about it!  I’m not sure what they were worried about those! It was well done!

Seriously, just take a look at these two! EEEKKKKKKK!

Chad’s mom…if you’re reading this…this one’s for you!! I asked them if they wanted a photo of them “looking off into the distance” and he immediately said his mom was hoping for one of those!  So, here it is!! It’s amazing!! Chad’s mom…I hope you love it because you already seem like  my kind of woman! I can’t wait to meet you so we can cook up some more amazing photos like this! <3

We had some shoulder sniffing, of course (you HBP couples know what I’m talking about).  Then, I told Chad to make her laugh.  He did nothing and Susan said, “Hey!  You’re supposed to be making me laugh”…which immediately made us ALL laugh and I’ll admit my first two photos in this set were blurry because I was giggling and couldn’t hold still to get the camera to focus! HA!  The struggle is real when you’re with a fun couple who makes you laugh the whole time!  If I haven’t said it, I can’t wait for their wedding!! When I get a groom who doesn’t mind having his picture taken, it makes the day even better!

Then, we tested the “photographer/client” trust!  It’s a thing!  We, as photographers, get used to taking basic locations and making them work for us.  Sometimes clients aren’t on board but not these two!  I wanted to do a silhouette photo but it was getting dark.  The sun was setting fast.  I needed to get them high above those mountains and above me.  There was this raised spot of grass but it sits literally in between two parking lots.  It’s only about 10 feet wide.  Some couples look at me like I’ve lost my mind.  These two were agreeable to anything I suggested which makes it so fun!  So, here they are.  They’re standing in that small patch of grass and the pavement is both directly in front and behind them.  I, on the other hand, am lying in the middle of the road.  I know Chad got a little concerned when a car started coming and I so appreciate him having my back! It’s not the first time a groom or groomsman has had to warn me to get out of the road as traffic approaches! HA! BUT look how pretty!!! MY goodness!  By the way, I’m aware this isn’t a silohuette like I originally planned…but I loved this so much!

…but then I did a modified silhouette…becasue….WHY NOT?!

One last shot of her amazing ring…because again…why not?!

I will be the lucky one to photograph their Pittsburgh wedding this September!  I can’t wait!  I know it’s going to be amazing!! They told me about their DJ who sounds like he’s going to rock it and make our job enjoyable after the long day!  It’s going to be a small, intimate wedding with just around 100 guests!  It’s going to be amazing…did I say that already?! 🙂

Congrats to Susan and Chad!!!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!